2014 Baseball

Student-athletes

Scoring well in the classroom

Bluffton student-athletes are scoring well in the classroom with the support of their
coaches and academic resources on campus.

Almost 200 student-athletes held a 3.0 grade point average or higher for the fall
2013 semester, and nearly one-third of them landed on the Dean’s List.

“If you look at the GPAs, I think that speaks volumes,” said James Grandey, head baseball
coach and associate athletics director for development.

In addition to natural ability in the classroom, perhaps some of their success can
be attributed to coaches’ eagerness to make use of academic resources available on
campus.

Coaches may have slightly different academic programs for members of their respective
teams. But most require their student-athletes to spend hours studying at the Learning
Resource Center (LRC) every week. Grandey, for instance, requires five hours, as well
as two additional hours of group study with the team. Hours can be added or reduced
depending on the individual student’s needs.

Coaches encourage their players to seek help whenever it’s needed, he said, noting
that “we’re very committed to their academic success, not just their athletic success.”

He realizes that student-athletes aren’t thrilled with being required to study, but
he thinks it’s worth it. “It gives them a place to go study outside their residence
halls, which I think is beneficial.”

He also thinks it demonstrates to student-athletes that their coaches are looking
out for them. “I feel it shows them that we care about more than what they are on
the playing field.”

Jacqui Slinger, director of academic development services and director of the LRC,
also serves to make sure student-athletes succeed in the classroom.In addition to providing a quiet place to study, the LRC offers tutoring and personal
coaching by Slinger or her graduate assistant.

Even if a student doesn’t need extra help, she tries to arrange a meeting. “We probably
meet with half to three-quarters of student-athletes individually to set goals,” she
said.

One of her top priorities is to keep an open line between the LRC and the athletics
department. “There’s a lot of communication between this office and the coaches,”
she said.

Coaches may contact her to connect struggling students with specialized tutors or
individual assessment. This is particularly important when athletes are injured, Slinger
said, because they may lose their drive for academics when they can no longer play.
“Sometimes it’s the sport that keeps them motivated.”

Grandey believes that today’s student-athletes are under more pressure than ever to
succeed on their own instead of finding help when needed. “We know that in today’s
day and age, not everybody is ready to ask for help.”

“But we need to make sure they’re prepared, as the mission statement says, ‘for life
as well as vocation,’” he added.